Object and Cognoscibility of it 1. To say that instances of supernatural Power and Wisdom are impossible is to deny the power of God and his providence in governing the world And to say that such things are incredible as are and have been actually believed in all times and by all sorts of persons Jews and Gentiles Christians and Mahometans a few Atheistical persons only excepted is an absurdity The History that we speak of pretends to no Intrigues or Cabalistick Counsels or Mysteries of State but conteins it self within the limits of things Visible and Audible things that were done or spoken so that no History can have advantage over it respectu Objecti 2. As for Knowledge in the deliverers I shall shew it by a brief Induction The whole New Testament consists of the Books of the Revelation Epistles Acts of the Apostles and the Gospels The Authors of the Epistles and the Revelation in the Narrative parts of them deliver the things done or spoken to or by themselves and could not be ignorant of their own experiences The Book of the Acts contains some things done by or to the rest of the Apostles but chiefly the concernments of Paul and it was written by Luke who was an individual Companion of Paul and intimately conversant with the rest of the Apostles For the things Related in the Gospel of S. Luke he saith they were delivered to him by those who from the beginning were Eye-witnesses of the works and Ministers of the Word and his History agrees with the other Evangelists The Gospel of S. Mark hath nothing which is not in S. Matthew or S. John and was dictated by S. Peter the Head of the Apostles S. Matthew was an Apostle and S. John the Bosom Apostle of Christ. The Apostles were chosen by him for Witnesses of his Words and Actions they were with him from the beginning of his Ministry continued with him till his death conversed with him till his Ascension That which they had heard which they had seen with their Eyes which they had looked on which their hands had handled of the word of life that they delivered in writing to the World And more than this no Writer or Relater of History can pretend to 2. For Arguments of their sincerity they have left Precepts of Veracity and prohibitions of lying under pain of Hell torments the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone They have protested that they did not follow cunningly devised Fables that they did things sincerely as in the sight of God They have appealed to the searcher of hearts The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knoweth that I lie not The things which I write unto you behold before God I lye not Gal. 1.20 saith S. Paul They have left behind them various instances of their simplicity and godly sincerity in representing their failings to the world and of candour and ingenuity in distinguishing the dictates of their own Reason from the inspirations of the Holy Spirit I speak by permission not by commandment of the Lord This say I not the Lord Thus it is according to my judgment c. 1 Cor. 7. But besides all this let the matter be estimated acccording to common reason If these men did devise a Fable and impose it upon the world what end could they propound to themselves in so doing was there any profit in being destitute of all things or pleasure in being persecuted afflicted and tormented or honour in being counted Fools and Mad-men Before they began to publish the Stories whereof we speak their Master was gone and all worldly hopes were gone away with him If they were not bound in Conscience and in Spirit what obligation had he laid upon them to labour and suffer for his honour as they did To omit the severity of his behaviour to them He called them off from their Vocations Peter and Andrew James and John from their Fishing Matthew from his Customers place the rest accordingly They forsook their Nets their * Ships their Relations and all their interests and followed him And this they did clearly and plainly believing that he was to be a Great Temporal Prince and in hopes of Preferment under him In this Expectation they continued to the last minute of his conversation with them upon Earth and he permitted them so to do Their last words to him were delivered in this question Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom unto Israel Of the thing it self they never doubted they only desire to be informed of the time Now after so long expectation Consider his Answer His Answer was this It is not for you to know the times c. but ye shall receive power when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses of me unto the utmost parts of the earth and immediately he vanished away Was this an answer to their Question or a satisfaction to their expectation Was this an Obligation laid upon them If he had not sent down the Holy Ghost this would have moved them indeed but it would have been to rage and indignation this would have obliged them indeed but it would have been to detest and abhor the name and memory of him that had abused them But for the honour of his name not their own they did and suffered all things and gloried in it An irrefragable argument of their sincerity in the things which they delivered 3. Of the internal Arguments for the belief of History there remains only the Consideration of the way and manner of writing Histories then carry their own credentials in them when the principal parts of them are delivered with such circumstances of times places and persons as may render them liable to Examination and Refutation if they contain any falshood in them And in this particular no History hath any advantage over that History whereof we are speaking as will be evident to him that considers it thorowout Concerning John the Baptist it is recorded that he was born some few Months before Christ that his Mother was Elizabeth that his Father was Zachariah a Priest of the Course of Abia that they lived in the Hill-Country He began to preach in the 15. of Tyberius Pilat being Governour of Judaea Herod Tetrarch of Galilee his Brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the Region of Trachonitis and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene Punctual and particular Soon after this he was Imprisoned and Beheaded by Herod for reprehending him about Herodias all which were matters of Fact very easie if false to have been refuted Concerning Christ his birth is stated to have been at a time the most remarkable that ever was when the whole world was taxed by Augustus in the days of Herod when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria the place easie to be enquired of it was in a Manger in an Inne in a Town that was a little one among the thousands of
his Empire was supported by Governour and Laws and fortified by the Arms and actual strength of all the world he saw that if the Gospel were not suppressed a little time would spoil the pride of all his glory that in a moment he should fall like lightning from Heaven That he should be exorcised out of the bodies which he possessed That his famous Oracles should soon be put to silence his gorgeous Temples and Images should be torn down his Mysteries and lying wonders set at nought That Prayers and Vows would be made to him no more and he should cease to be celebrated in the Songs of his Poets and Hymns of his Hierophantae That his revelling Festivals would be turned to mourning no more gifts would be presented no beasts nor children women or men sacrificed upon his Altars The Contention was de rerum summa pro aris focis and his rage was kindled accordingly He summons together all his wiles and stratagems he musters all his forces he sounds an Allarm to the world stirs up young and old rich and poor all ages sexes conditions the people wise and unwise the Common Souldiers and Commanders Counsellors and Judges Senate and Emperours by suppressing these Books and destroying the Believers of them to erase the memory of the Gospel and abolish it for ever The people were enraged against the Believers as against the common Enemy of mankind and pro solenni suo they slandered them with unthought of wickedness they imputed to them all the calamities of the world And required them to death Si Tiberis ascendit in moenia Christianos ad Leones Against these Books the Learned employed their Learning and the Witty employed their Wit Celsus Porphyrius Jamblichus Hierocles and other Philosophers endeavoured to dispute them out of the world Symmachus and Libanius and other Rhetors to declaim them away Julian and Lucian and other Scoptick wits endeavoured to jeer and droll away the credit of them Mean while the Senators and Lawyers employ themselves to destroy the Books by stretching against them the ancient Laws against bringing in Foreign Religions and against Magical and Fatidical Books And to destroy Books and Believers by New Laws made for that purpose against Combinations Heteriae Sacriledge Treason the Law that none should buy or sell or draw water without Thurification to the Gods and the like By force of these they persecute the Believers as Enemies to the Common-wealth and Traytors to the Emperour as sacrilegious persons and contemners of Religion The people sometimes rising upon them without any Edict sometimes by virtue of Edicts Imperial or Proconsular From the beginning of the Gospel to the end of Dioclesian and Maximian this was the state of Believers Their Scriptures were forbidden to be read and required to be burned their Oratories and obscure Churches were pulled in pieces their Estates were plundered and confiscate their bodies were imprisoned and tormented Fire and Sword hot Iron Chairs and Coffins Gridirons and Cauldrons Hooks Stakes and Gibbets the Teeth of Lions and Tygers c. were their portion It cannot be shewed that ever any Book or Story met with equal Opposition 2. Consider then how it prevailed how quickly and largely how deeply and effectually although the Precepts were not contrived to sollicit the Affections nor the Doctrines to court the Reason of men At one Sermon of Peter 3000 at another 5000 were converted Within a few years after the death of Christ we find by S. Peter that the Gospel was preached throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia and Paul had planted it from Jerusalem round about to Ilyricum Besides what was done by other Apostles in the Provinces assigned them at the Council of Jerusalem Within 66 years this grane of Mustard seed was become a Tree Pliny Proconsul of Bithynia to whom the care of Religion ex officio did appertein appointed by Trajan to suppress the Christians he writes to him that this Belief was Longè latéque diffusa Civitates Vicos Agros impletos Christi cultoribus During the second Century it had shot out great branches the boughs of this Tree were stretched out Hesterni sumus vestra omnia implevimus Tertullian reckons up the known parts of the World in quibus omnibus Christi nomen regnat and concludes ubique porrigitur creditur colitur regnat adoratur And lastly During the third à morte Christi the Fowls of the air and Beasts of the field lodged under the shadow of it The Net drew good and bad to shore the Roman Emperour and Empire declared themselves Christians i.e. Believers and Assertors of these Books So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed It went on conquering and to conquer not by the Spirit of the Sword but by the sword of the Spirit the powers of the Earth and the gates of Hell could not withstand it it drove the Devil away with all his Temples Idols Oracles Priests Sacrifices Services like lightning So fell the Dragon the old Serpent that deceived the World he was cast out with all his train So fell Lucifer the Son of the morn his Friends and his Followers lamenting How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer the Son of the morning Desolata Templa rarissimus Victimarum emptor Some complain of people forsaking of the Gods others of the Gods forsaking their Oracles and Temples and becoming useless to the World He said I will ascend into Heaven and exalt my Throne above the Stars but he was soon brought down to Hell For the Gospel like Leaven or Fire from Heaven seized upon all that stood before it it leaven'd Cities Islands Castles Councils Camps the Tribes and Decuries the Palaces Senate Pleading-places It took possession of the Learned and the Wise the greatest and noblest Wits of the Eastern and Western Nations It raised up Philosophers to confound the Philosophy and noble Orators to confound the Rhetorick wherewith it was opposed Against Celsus it excited Origen against Porphyrie Apollinarius Methodius against Porphyrie and Hierocles Lactantius and Eusebius besides what was written sparsim by Jerom Augustine Cyril c. It set up Chrysostom against Libanius Prudentius against Symmachus and the Rhetoricians And as it spread it self large and high so where it took possession it took a deep possession Quantum vertice tantum radice Those that received it truly received it in the love thereof it took possession of their hearts it penetrated their spirits and took its lodging in the inmost recesses of the soul. The Contents of these Books was their most precious Pearl and they hid it in their heart The Books themselves were their greatest worldly treasure and rather than they would deliver them to be burned they chose to suffer the loss of honour liberty estate Wives and Children nay even life it self When Dioclesian required the Scriptures that they might be burned In one Province Egypt in one Month 17000 persons chose
rather to dye than to deliver them In comparison of these they counted not their lives dear to them the love of them was stronger than Death many waters could not quench it neither could the flouds drown it This was Testimonium Rei and an advantage above all other Histories or Writings in the World 2. Moreover they had Testimonium Dei Indeed all that is already spoken is an evidence of a Divine assistance But more particularly God gave Testimony to these Books by 1. Their operation upon Believers of them 2. His co-operation with Believers of them 1. The Gospel which they contein was the power of God to every true Believer That which no Institution in Philosophy nor Initiation in the Mysteries of any of the Gods was ever able to accomplish that was every where atchieved by the belief of the Gospel in a moment Like a charm from Heaven it stilled the passions and mortified the lusts of men What a Beadroll doth Paul reckon up in the Corinthians But ye are washed saith he but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Notwithstanding all the calumnies thrown upon Believers and the prejudice wherewith they were loaded the unpropitious and relucting world were forcibly convinced that the Believers of these Books were effectually taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world through the cloud of ignominy wherewith they were encompassed their innocency broke forth as the light and their just dealing as the noon day the piety loyalty justice charity magnanimity patience meekness and purity of Believers of these Books convinced the unbelieving world that God was in them of a truth for they teach as having Authority and Power and not as the writings of other Scribes 2. But beside the operation of these Books upon the Believers God was pleased to give testimony to them by his co-operation with them in signs and wonders and mighty deeds The History of the Gospel tells us that when Christ was even now leaving the world he left this Legacy to Believers for confirmation of the truth of the Gospel These signs said he shall follow them that believe In my name they shall cast out Devils Speak with new tongues Take up Serpents If they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall lay hands on the Sick and they shall recover Now that this was made good and that these signs so long as there was need were continued among Believers we have as good assurance as we can have of any thing beyond our own memory or experience They have been delivered to us by a Cloud of Witnesses by men of the greatest Wisdom and Learning in their Generations by persons of such integrity that they laid down their lives in testimony of their veracity delivered not by hear-say but upon their certain knowledge delivered in their Disputations with and Apologies to the Adversaries of Christianity with a challenge to the examination of the truth or a conviction of the falshood of them Instances are very numerous I shall produce only a very few Justin the Martyr who suffered Anno 165 affirms to Trypho the Jew that these supernatural gifts were found in his time among Christians Irenaeus an Auditor of Polycarp who was a Disciple of S. John suffered circa 206 affirms upon his own knowledge that the gift of Prophesie was then frequent in the Church that many had the gift of tongues ipsi audivimus Others cast out Devils Others healed Diseases Others raised the dead and those raised persons continued many years amongst them pro certo Tertullian in his Apologetica adversus Gentes affirms that Jam de vobis Daemonas ejiciunt Origen against Celsus saith that he himself had seen by invocation of God and the Name of Jesus very many that were delivered from grievous maladies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alienatione mentis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to mention others S. Augustine in his Book de Civitate Dei begun about 410 but many years in writing l. 22. c. 8. gives an account of very many Miracles done at Hippo Carthage and other places of no great distance noting times places persons occasions appealing to the Country delivering them under terms of the greatest assurance Scio ego cognosco ego nos interfuimus oculis nostris aspeximus And in his Retractations Ea quae cognoscimus neque referre neque enumerare possumus Other Histories and Writings and the Authors and Believers of them can pretend no higher than to the testimony of men these have the testimony of God also If we believe the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater I conclude therefore that there is greater Reason to believe the History of the New Testament than any other History in the world The sum of all is this The Divine Authority of the Scriptures is the great fundamental and comprehensive Principle of Christianity which being admitted it stands and being removed it presently falls to the ground Against this therefore the great Enemy of Religion in these later days under pretence of Reason and Philosophy directs his Forces and is said to have found a success very pernicious and deplorable I humbly conceive that the Resolution of the belief of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures into the Decrees of Popes or Determinations of Councils with those who call themselves Roman-Catholicks into private impulses and dictates of the Spirit with the Enthusiasts and into the Laws and Edicts of Princes and Magistrates with our new pretenders to Reason and Philosophy is that engine whereby the Devil hath prevailed to scandalize the world and cast it into Antiscriptural infidelity It is for this cause that I have conceived it requisite after many others who have done worthily to have recourse once more to the Original Reason of things and the common grounds whereupon mankind doth proceed in matters of this nature Where hoping that I have escaped the absurdity of begging the matter in Question discoursing in a circle and the inconveniences of some other methods I have endeavoured to demonstrate That supposing the truth of the New Testament both 1. The Old Testament and 2. The New Testament are to be received as of Divine Authority 3. And supposing matters of fact to be truly related the Doctrinal parts are to be believed 4. For the Historical Relation of matters of fact that there is no ground to dis-believe it That for the Reception of it it hath 1. All the advantages whereof an History is capable 2. Far greater advantages than any other History Wherefore I conclude that All the Scriptures i. e. the Canonical Books of the Old Testament and the Books of the New Testament were given by inspiration of God Quod erat demonstrandum FINIS CONCERNING THE Sinfulness Danger Remedies of Infidelity A SERMON Preached at Whitehall Feb. 16.
of our eternity To this evidence therefore we appeal in asserting the Doctrine of our Lord Christ and his Apostles Namely to the instances of Supernatural Knowledge and Supernatural Power whereby their Doctrine was attested I shall not here wave the force but I shall decline the repetition of what I have formerly spoken concerning the attestations given to it by Visible Signs Audible Voices Apparitions of Angels Fulfilling the Prophecies Evidences of Christs Resurrection Mission of the Holy Ghost In Joh. 7.15 the Jews wondred at Christ that he knew any thing How knoweth this man Letters seeing he never learned them but if we mark the Scriptures we shall find that he knew all things and that nothing was withdrawn from the reach of his understanding He knew the sickness and death of Lazarus though absent and at a distance He saw Nathaniel under the Fig-tree and convinced him that he was the Son of God and the King of Israel Come see a man said the Woman of Samaria which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The secret murmurs at his hard sayings the inward desires to ask him Questions the Reasonings and Dialogisms of the hearts of his Disciples the secret Councils of the Scribes and Pharisees their evil surmisings their treacherous intentions to intrap him their mental Blasphemy were all naked and manifest before him He knew what was in man and needed not that any one should tell him He knew the various Kinds of Devils and how they were to be ejected This Kind cometh not out but by Prayer and Fasting He knew the Fishes of the Sea and where they were and what was in them He knew not only things past and present but to come He foresaw all things that were to come upon him who it was that should betray him he foretold his Disciples all the circumstances of his Passion how he was to be Betrayed Condemned delivered to the Gentiles mocked scourged spit on kill'd and Crucified at Jerusalem Behold saith he I tell you before Let this saying sink into your hearts He forewarned Peter of his denial and the Disciples of their flight He foretold things to come after his death the time and manner of the destruction of Jerusalem The success of his Gospel the Effect unlikely of his Crucifixion that it should draw all men after him that it should be preached and believed in the whole world spreading it self like Leaven and like a grain of Mustard-seed that Satans Kingdom should be destroyed suddenly like lightning notwithstanding the false Christs and false Prophets which should arise These and many more were instances of the supernatural knowledge of Christ And for his power the time would fail me to insist upon the many and various instances mentioned in the Gospels I shall omit the exercise of his dominion over the Sun Moon and Stars Plants and Animals Earth and Water the Wind and the Sea and briefly mind you of those which concerned the bodies of men how he 1. Fed their hunger 2. Healed their distempers 3. Raised their dead and 4. Cast out Devils He fed 4000 at one time and 5000 at another with 5 or 7 Loaves and a few little Fishes He healed the blind d lame e deaf f dumb g maimed feaverish hydropical paralitic leprous and lunatick persons He cured not green wounds only but ancient inveterate Maladies of 12 of 38 years continuance one that was born blind He used no Plasters nor Potions no Telesmans or other Charms but performed all these things by a touch of his Hand or of his Garment He healed absent persons as well as present he spoke the word only and they were healed He raised to life the Daughter of Jayrus the Widows Son at Naim his Friend Lazarus and many bodies of the Saints Many of which healed and raised persons lived till about Trajan's time as Quadratus a Disciple of the Apostles affirmed in his Apology to Hadrian the Emperour Like a strong man armed he cast out Devils whatever kind they were of he quickly dislodged them that foaming and tearing Devil which withstood the power of his Disciples and threw down and tore the possessed person even as he was yet coming to Christ himself he presently rebuked and healed the child and delivered him to his Father Neither their long possession nor their numbers could secure them he cast seven at once out of Mary Magdalen and an whole Legion out of a certain man of the Country of the Gadarens who had been possessed by them a long time Moreover for attestation to the truth of his Gospel he delegated all this power to others to the 12 Apostles to the 70 Disciples He bequeathed it to Believers at his death and they also received and exercised this supernatural power I have given a few instances of the Supernatural Wisdom and Power of Christ solitarily considered The History of the Gospel affords us many Examples wherein they were gloriously combined By his Knowledge he foretold his Resurrection he performed it by his Power By his Divine Vnderstanding he foresaw his Ascension and by the Power of his Divinity he ascended He ascended and by his Power he fulfilled the Predictions and Promises which he had made He sent down the Holy Spirit and shed forth the gifts of supernatural Wisdom and Power upon his Apostles Not to mention the Apparition of Angels and of Christ himself the Bath Kol the Extasies Dreams Visions and Impulses which were given them for their own assurance That they might be enabled to preach the Gospel to all Nations and deliver to the world those Scriptures whereof we are speaking they had the word of Knowledge and of Wisdom and of Faith and the gift of divers Tongues and interpretation of Tongues bestowed upon them And to justifie their Doctrine to the Ages present and to come they had the Gifts of Prophesie and of Healing and of Miracles John the beloved Disciple heard a voice as it were of a Trumpet talking with him which said Come up hither and I will shew thee things which shall be hereafter and immediately he was in the Spirit and received the Revelation Paul an Apostle though born out of due time came to Visions and Revelations he twice foretold what should happen to the Ship wherein he was carried Prisoner to Rome He foretold the Apostacy of the latter times the rising of Antichrist the perillous times which should come upon the world in the last days Agabus a Believer at large foretold the Famine which was to come upon all the world and the binding
Juda easie to be examined When he was about 30 years old he was Baptized of John within a few days after he called his Apostles and in less than four years space he performed all his mighty Works whereof I shall mention only some few particulars At Cana in Galilee he turned Water into Wine at a Wedding where was much company He raised the Daughter of Jayrus the Ruler of the Synagogue there was but one in that place she was his only Daughter and about 12 years Old He healed the Servant of that Centurion that had built a Synagogue Can any thing be more particular At Bethany 15 Furlongs from Jerusalem a few days before his death he raised Lazarus after he had been dead four days Could any thing be more examinable His death was at Jerusalem at the time of the Passeover a time of greatest annual concourse in the world and then it is said that the Sun was darkened the Veil rent the Rocks torn apieces the Graves opened Can any thing be more refutable than these things if they had been false So likewise for the Apostles The healing of Aeneas at Lydda raising of Dorcas at Joppe the passages with Cornelius Captain of the Band called the Italian Band at Caesarea and many other acts of Peter The increpation of Barjesus at Paphos in the presence of Sergius Paulus the Governour The healing of a Cripple at Lystra in the presence of the Priest of Jupiter besides many other acts of Paul and the rest of the Apostles are so circumstantiated in the History that if false they might have been very easily contradicted But besides all these this History contains a Narration of things done and said not only by persons well affected but by Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Roman Governours by the Pharisees the Scribes the High Priests and the Sanhedrim all of them Enemies both to the Historians and the History and if any of these things had been convicted of falshood would not the credit of the whole Gospel have at once been utterly overthrown I conclude therefore that in respect of internal Arguments for belief no History hath or indeed can have any advantage above the History of the New Testament 2. As for External Arguments I can but name them Though the whole world interessed themselves against the story so examinable as you have heard though the Books were extant while the memory of things was recent Matthew within seven years Mark within eleven Luke about twenty four post mortem Christi the Epistles of Peter and Paul within thirty years all the rest intra unius hominis aetatem yet no man could ever convince them of falshood The stories were received by men of the greatest Wisdom Learning and Virtue amongst the Greeks and Latines Many of the hardest passages were attested and confessed by Enemies and Vnbelievers The Authors owned by Julian the Miracles confessed by Celsus the checking of the operation of the Devil by Porphyrius the Darkness and Earthquake at the death of Christ by Thallus and Phlegon Trallianus the Crucifixion of Christ by Pilat under Tiberius by Tacitus And in one word The entire Volume of the Scriptures the very same which our Church receives by virtue of the belief of the History of the Gospel before any general Council or the time of Constantine without any Convocation of the Clergy or imperial Edict for that purpose was instinctu quodam Christiano generally received by all Christians and the world made Christians In respect of all these Arguments internal and external I might have justly said that the History of the Gospel hath the advantage of any other History but seeing there are some particulars wherein the advantages are super-eminent I shall speak a little of that distinctly by it self and so conclude 2. These advantages I shall reduce to two heads Testimonium Rei Testimonium Dei 1. For the Testimonium Rei consider 1. Opposition to the Gospel 2. Prevailing of the Gospel 1. Never any story was so much opposed as the Books and History of the New Testament by Jews and Gentiles by the World and by the Devil The beginnings and propagation of the Gospel was by the Jews maliciously and strenuously opposed in the times of Christ and his Apostles and in all succeeding Generations Lest all men should believe in Christ because of his Miracles the Rulers took counsel to destroy him the People cryed out to have him Crucified Lest the last errour as they called it should be worse than the first they sealed up his Sepulchre and set a watch upon it and lastly suborned the Souldiers to say that his Disciples came by night while they were sleeping how could they know this and stole him away That the first Miracle wrought by Peter and John might not spread among the People the Rulers and Elders and Scribes Annas and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all the Kindred of the High Priest laid hands upon them and put them in hold and threatned and commanded them not to speak at all in the Name of Jesus When Stephen had uttered his testimony the people cried with a loud voice and stopped their Ears and ran upon him with one accord and cast him out of the City and stoned him Wherever they met with Believers Men or Women they haled them into Prison breathing out threatnings and slaughter Wherever they met with the Preachers they opposed and blasphemed they tumultuated they stirred the Gentiles they enraged the chief men of the Cities and the honourable women against them The instances of their malicious opposition in all ages of the Church are so many as are not to be numbred in a few Minutes but would require many days only to name them They first stirred up Nero to persecute the Christians they contrived the death of Polycarpus they stood by and insulted over the dying Martyrs in a word whoever shall read the stories of primitive times he will find that the Jews were generally the Setters and Informers against the Martyrs and the Brokers for their Goods after Execution And the Histories of our own and other Nations will shew us the height of their malice and the continuance of it Now beside the little Nation of the Jews the rest of the whole world when this History began to be published and the Books written were Heathen universally devoted to the Devil whom therefore our Saviour stiles the Prince of this world And now that feud which had depended betwixt the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman 4000 years was by the preaching and writing of these things brought to a Crisis The professed and declared design of the Gospel was to drive the Devil out of his Dominion Notwithstanding the antiquity of his possession the universality of his Church and the consent of all Nations whereby he held his title Notwithstanding
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the daughter of the Voice In his Baptism Lo a voice from heaven Saying This is my beloved Son At his Transfiguration a Voice came out of a cloud which said This is my beloved Son hear him A little before his death as he was Praying Father glorifie thy Name There came a voice from heaven Saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again 3. For mission of Angels by the Father We find them still ready upon all occasions from before his Coming down to the time of his Ascension into Heaven Before his Conception the Angel Gabriel appeared to Zachary and to Mary before his Nativity to Joseph saying fear not Joseph At the time of his Nativity a whole Chorus appeared to the Sheapheards In his Infancy an Angel appeared twice to Joseph admonishnig him of his going to Egypt and his return from thence In his Adult age they ministred to him in his hunger Before his death they strengthned him in his Agony After it they rolled away the stone from his Sepulcher They declared his resurrection And in his Ascension they stood by and foretold his coming again to Judgement Ye men of Galalie why stand ye gazing This same Jesus 4. The Father cooperated with him according to that of our Saviour the father worketh hitherto and I work c. These are some of the Attestations of the Father 2. Christ bore witness of himself And this he did by proveing himself to be the Messiah viz. by fulfilling all the Prophesies relating to the Person or Offices The Life and the Death of the Messiah His Generation was such as cannot be declared he was born at Bethlem of the tribe of Juda of the Family of David about 490. years after the return from Captivity When the Scepter was just now departed from Juda. He performed not only the Substance of the Prophesies but all the Circumstances foretold Concerning the Life and Death of the Messiah He was to be a Prophet and So he was The Spirit of the Lord anointed him to preach and he spake as never man spake He foretold many things to come they all bare him witness 2. He was to be a King and so he was His Name was Wonderful his Power was shewen througout the vniversal System of the World the Angels good and evil the Heavens Elements Plants Fishes Brutes Health and Sickness Life and Death were all obedient unto his Word 3. He was to be a Priest and so he was He made an Attonement by his Obedience and by his sufferings to the least punctilio to the taking of a little Vinegar and when all things were fulfilled He cryed with a loud voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost Moreover for the Justification of his Gospel and that he might leave no place for Infidelity he rose again from the dead appeared to many Convinced them by all their senses They saw him They heard him they felt his hands and his side They Eat and Drank with him They Conversed with him 40. dayes He was seen by more then 500. at once and lastly in the sight of Many of them he Ascended Visibly into Heaven These were some of the Testimonies which our Lord Christ bore to himself 3. The time would fail me if I should speak of all the Testimonies given by the Holy Spirit In his Conception to Mary fulfilling the Promise of Gabriel Before his Nativity to Zachary and Elizabeth in his Infancy to Simeon and Hanna In his Baptism to John I knew him not saith John but he that sent me to baptize said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and resting on him that is he and I saw the Spirit descending Throughout his whole Ministry till his Death the Spirit gave witness to him Moreover In his Resurrection he was declared the Son of God with power by the Holy Ghost After his Ascention the Holy Ghost fulfilled all his undertakings In that Grand Manifestation at Pentecost at the time and place which Christ had undertaken for A manifestation made to all the Senses and to men of every nation under heaven Parthians besides a Multitude of other Instances Such were the Attestations given to Christ the Author and finisher of our faith 2. And for the Apostles the Promulgers of it Besides the Change of their Spirits from darkness to light Whereby they were led out of Ignorance and Infidelity into all Truth And from torpid and pusillanimous persons during the life of their Master they became when he was dead the most active and magnanimous in the world I say besides this Change They had bestowed upon them All things necessary either for their 1. Own Assurance Or for the 2. Conviction of the World Concerning the truth of the Gospel which they delivered I. As for themselves Besides the Conversation with their Master before and after his Resurrection they had 1. Apparitions of Angels And to one of them Christ himself appeared after he was ascended to his father 2. They had the Bath Kol Voices from Heaven In the 9 of the Acts We finde a Voice from Heaven maintaining a Dialogue with Paul and at another time a voice saying to Peter Arise Peter Kill and Eat 3. They had extatical Visions Peter was in a trance Act. 10.10 19. Paul rapt up to the third heaven 4. They had monitory Dreames Paul saw a man in a Dream saying unto him Come into Macedonia and help us 5. They had Impulses of the Spirit So Paul was forbid by the Spirit to preach the Word in Asia II. And for the Conviction of the unbelieving World They had diversities of gifts and Different Administrations To one was given the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledg to another Faith to another the gift of Healing to another Miracles Prophesies Discerning of Spirits The gift of Tongues As it is in the words which I quoted God bare them witness with gifts of the Holy Ghost and with Signes and Wonders and that he did so far that I shall be justified by Christ himself if I shall affirm that the Apostles after his death did greater miracles then he himself did in his life Of the same kind with our Saviours some they performed by means having an appearance of greater strangeness Christ healed by his touch his word his spittle Peter by his shadow Paul by Handkerchiefs taken from his body But one great thing there was wherein they exceeded The Great and Manifest and frequent Effusions of the Spirit The Reception of it upon themselves the communication of it to others by Prayer Preaching Laying on of Hands By these it was that the unbelieving world was convâ—nced and even Simon Magus himself It is by the power and Vertue of those effusions that we are here met together at this time that the World continues Christian at this day And